


Near, Far, Wherever You Are

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: Castiel and Dean: An AU Love Story [10]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, Fluff, M/M, Mash-up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 09:03:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16261001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: In the ongoing series in which the Winchesters visit alternate realities, Dean gets a chance to fix a mistake that cost an alternate reality Castiel his life.Most of this series is standalone but this one work references some of the other stories.This work is part of the Destiel Promptober in which there is a different AU theme for each day in October. The AU for the day is mash-up of mythology and prohibition.





	Near, Far, Wherever You Are

"Dean, we have to talk about what happened." Sam said carefully.

Dean sighed. "You're right. My head is not in the game. It's on me that the werewolf got the jump on me."

"We can't hunt if you are going to be this way. Talk to me."

Dean looked out the window of the hotel room. "I keep expecting and dreading that we'll do another reality skip, Sam. The last one ended so bad. I don't want to go through that shit again. And, I haven't. It's been two months and not another skip. Maybe screwing up that one and getting Cas ki…" Dean swallowed, unable to complete the sentence. "Anyway, maybe whatever joker was moving me around realized I'm not worth anything."

"Don't say that you're not worth anything, Dean. I thought you were over that shit."

"Do you see Cas anywhere? Before I told him how I felt about him, he was with us all the time. Now, he's off helping Chuck knows who."

"He came after that last time jump when you were upset."

Dean stood up and yelled with his fists balled, "Because you called him. I keep getting shown these worlds where everything is sunshine and rainbows and then I get to see a version of him friggin' die. Maybe, it was trying to show me I'm not good enough for him."

"Call him and tell him that you want him to be here."

"I'm not begging, Sam."

Sam sighed, "It's not begging to tell someone you need them. Cas loves you. He'll always come when you call."

"What if I want him to come when I don't call?"

Sam growled, "Maybe, he's trying to give you space because you suck so much at words." Sam stormed out of the room.

Dean stood up and punched the wall repeatedly. He threw a chair against the wall, panting heavily. He was suddenly very dizzy. He sank to the ground, with his head on his knees. When he looked up again, he realized he was sitting in Gabe's Coffee and Pie Shop from his first reality-skipping adventure.

A familiar blonde woman wearing glasses in a tan blazer walked up and sat primly in the seat across from him. She carried a ledger with a gold thread marking her place. She looked at him placidly.

Dean stared at her a moment, "I know you. You're Atropos, one of the Fate ladies who came after us after Balthazar unsunk the Titanic. Are you responsible for all the shit that has been happening to me? Because if you are, lady, you don't want to be in the same room as me."

"An old acquaintance called in a debt. I'm simply here because of that debt."

"Who’s doing it?"

"That's not what we are going to discuss."

"Why not?"

"Because time is critical and we have to get this done. You are miserable, Dean. I am willing to send you to any of those realities one more time. Just one. In that reality, you can change one thing or you can choose to stay and become that Dean. Your reality makes you miserable, Dean. Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those nicer realities?"

"I can change it and come back?"

"Yes, and you can do it at any point in their timeline. One time and only one time. You could go live a happily ever after with kids and the white picket fence. You could go back in time far enough that the rock star version of you never started taking drugs. You have the choice to change fate--either yours or someone else--this one time. A very limited time offer. It's highly unorthodox, and I don't entirely approve."

Dean thought back to the realities--to his one perfect day with Castiel, Sam, Jess, Jo, and Charley. The sweet bookish Castiel with the two small children in the park. The Castiel who sat in this coffee shop and kissed him. Unicorn Cas. He thought of the draw and magnetism he felt with rock star Castiel. But, in the end, there was only one option. Maybe, he was miserable, but he'd take being miserable with his Sam and Castiel than happiness anywhere else. Besides, he had screwed something up.

"Send me back to being a cop."

She said, "Is that your final answer?"

"Yes."

"I'll send you there then."

Dean interrupted, "Wait. I'm not going to change my mind, I'm going back to right a wrong. But, can you tell me, do the Castiel and Dean from the rock star universe have a happy ending?"

"Are you sure you want to know if you can't change their fate?"

He hesitated. "Yes."

She smiled, "Dean spends six months in rehab before he gets to go back to Castiel and Sam. He suffers a few relapses. But after he's finally clean, they record an album and win a Grammy for best duet."

Dean smiled, "Awesome."

"How would you have felt if I told you if Dean had died in a drug overdose?"

Dean looked distressed before Atropos said, "But he didn't. Happy ending for those two. It was written in their stars. You helped. I hope I don't see you again, Dean." She touched his forehead and he found himself back in the police uniform where he had been waiting for Sam after they got sent to 1925. 

When Sam walked up, Dean didn't say anything. 

Sam said, "So, get this, Dean. We're in 1925, Dean. Our precinct is about to take down a speakeasy." 

"Cas is going to be a piano player there. He'll be standing behind a piano with his back to the wall. We're going to not interfere, and we'll let him be arrested."

Sam said, "Huh?"

"I screwed up and got a do-over, Sam. Think Mystery Spot, but only one day."

The officers moved towards the cars. Dean and Sam followed them. "So, how are we going to play this, Dean? How did this all happen?"

"We keep an eye on him and other than that, try to blend in. I'll tell you about the rest of it later."

They rode in silence to the speakeasy. There they followed the other officers into the basement. Dean did as he was directed by other officers while keeping an eye on Castiel. He saw another officer slap cuffs on Castiel and lead him up the stairs. When Dean was able to, he made sure he was in the car that took Castiel back to the precinct. When Chief Singer greeted him, he told Dean to take Novak to his office. Once there, Dean sat down quietly with Castiel. Sam joined him a few minutes later. 

Castiel looked at them nervously, "Plan's still going down the way it's supposed to?"

Dean nodded. "Everything will be as it supposed to be, Castiel."

An hour later, Chief Singer walked into the office and handed Dean some keys and Castiel an envelope. Bobby said, "Your service to the community has been immeasurable, Mr. Novak. We've been trying to get murder, kidnapping, and extortion charges on that group for a long time, but we never had enough evidence. We at least get to take them down for breaking prohibition laws. Boys, please drive him to the bus terminal after he changes clothes."

Castiel went into the men's room to change his appearance. Sam looked at Dean, "You didn't do anything. You just let nature take its course."

Dean looked at Sam, "I've been overprotective with you and Cas. I should trust you to take care of yourselves, I should listen. That guy in there got killed because I didn't listen."

Castiel came out in a different color suit and hat. He had shaved his five o'clock shadow and used hair gel to slick his hair back. He wore thick, horn-rimmed glasses. He said, "How do I look?"

Dean smiled, "Like a whole new man."

After changing out of their uniforms, Dean and Sam drove him in a plain car to the bus station. On the platform, Dean extended a hand to Castiel, "Thanks on behalf of the city, buddy."

Castiel said, "Thank you two for taking care of me. Do you think it's going to be snowing in Pontiac, Illinois? I never left New York before."

Dean said, "You'll fit right in."

Castiel shook Sam's hand before turning to get on the bus. Dean watched until the bus pulled away. After getting into the car to return to the station, Dean could feel the familiar energy ripple through him as he shifted realities. He opened his eyes back in the hotel room that Sam stormed out off. 

A soft knock sounded on the door. Dean walked over and opened it to find Castiel outside. "Hello, Dean."

"Did Sam call you?"

"No, I called him last night and asked him where you were going to be. I wanted to surprise you. I've missed you, Dean. I brought you a present." Castiel smiled shyly as he held out a Batman coffee mug.

"I've missed you too," Dean said as he took the offered coffee mug, looking at it admiringly. He pulled Castiel into the room and closed the door. "Thank you, sunshine. You know, Cas, we're just better together."

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the lyrics to My Heart Will Go On from the movie Titanic.


End file.
